Question 1

Does everyone respond to hypnotherapy?

Accepted Answer

Anyone with even average intelligence and a bit of imagination can be hypnotized to one degree or another. Once hypnotized, if the therapist knows what they are doing, therapy can be conducted in a way that works best for the client.

There is a range of susceptibility to both hypnosis and hypnotherapy, but in general, "yes", virtually everyone will respond. In some cases, a person may be only capable of only light levels of hypnotic trance, but the good news is that most therapies can be conducted at even Stage 1 on Arons Scale of Hypnotic Depth.

Hypnosis almost always requires a willing participant. If you actively resist or work to prevent trance, then you would be the exception to this. You can actively resist being hypnotized and there is virtually nothing I could do about it.

Question 2

Who can be hypnotized?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who wants to be. If you can pay attention and follow instructions, you are going to go under. The "depth" of the trance may vary with the natural ability and experience of the subject, but hypnotic trance is natural and we all slip in and out of it daily even without a hypnotist being present.

Question 3

What is hypnosis?

Accepted Answer

Hypnosis is a focus and imagination. Usually, relaxation is part of the clinical experience, but it's really a secondary benefit.

The Scottish surgeon James Braid coined the term "hypnotism", then later he sought to change the name to ""monoideism"", but the name had already caught on. He changed his mind on the name because as he researched it, he found that "hypnosis" had a lot less to do with "hypno" (Greek for "sleep") than it did with focus.

In a hypnotic trance, the noise in your mind stops and you are able to focus with crystalline clarity on the voice of the hypnotist and the suggestions being made.

Question 4

What is an "induction"?

Accepted Answer

"Induction" just means an "entry point". Dictionary.com defines it as: "the process or action of bringing about or giving rise to something".

A hypnotic induction is just a technique to transition a subject into a hypnotic trance. There are hundreds of techniques that work.

Some inductions happen slowly, relying on relaxation to ease the subject into a trance. Others use the "startle reflex" to surprise the client into transitioning into a trance. Still, others use a monotonous action, like a pocket-watch swinging to bring about a trance.

The best induction is the one that works for you. Some people react better to one method than another and it's my job to figure that out before we start.

Question 5

Can I get 'stuck' in a hypnotic trance?

Accepted Answer

Nope. You cannot get stuck. In 4000 years of recorded hypnosis history, the only one who has ever gotten stuck is that guy in the movie "Office Space" and to be fair, he kind of needed it. In that movie, the hypnotist dies of a heart-attack while his client is hypnotized and for the rest of the movie, the client is still in trance and ultra-relaxed.

In reality, what would happen is that the client would come out of trance and try to help the dying hypnotist or he would fall into a deep, relaxing sleep and awake naturally, then try to help the already dead hypnotist. There is no 'stuck'.

I'll let you in on a secret. If people could get stuck, we hypnotists would create armies of "hypnozombies" to do our bidding for us, while we lived lives of luxury and pleasure. Muahhahahahahha! Just kidding. (Or am I?). Nope, No stuck. Instead, we try to help people.

Question 6

Can I be hypnotized against my will?

Accepted Answer

In general, no. Hypnosis requires your participation and consent to work.

There are "shock" inductions that can be performed that startle the subject into hypnosis, but without participation and consent, the subject will pop right back out again in less than a second.

A very skilled hypnotist can make involuntary hypnosis last longer, but you would NEVER find that in a therapy environment where trust means everything.

Question 7

Are some people better at hypnosis than others?

Accepted Answer

Most certainly.

There is a natural ability inherent in hypnosis, but willingness goes a long way toward overriding that.

I would rather work with a willing participant who is low on the hypnotizability scale than someone with a ton of natural ability who won't do the work.

There are people who are naturally gifted at hypnosis. They are known as "somnambulists" or "sleepwalkers". While somnambulists have a natural ability to experience hypnotic trance, it is a skill that can be learned and improved by anyone who is so inclined. Practice, practice, practice.

Question 8

Is hypnosis like sleep or being unconscious?

Accepted Answer

Hypnotists commonly use the word "sleep" to induce hypnosis and during hypnosis to deepen the state, but hypnosis is not like sleep or unconsciousness.

In hypnosis, you are aware of what is going on around you, you are responsive to outside stimuli and you can control how things proceed. If you have ever looked into "lucid dreaming", some people describe it and hypnosis as being a similar state.

Question 9

hat happens if "nature calls" while I am hypnotized?

Accepted Answer

Subtitled: "I won't have an accident, will I?"

Okay, don't laugh. It's a common question and face it, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Most importantly, no, you will NOT have an "accident". Unless you are prone to accidents already either while you are awake or when you are sleeping, in which case PLEASE mention that to your hypnotist in advance, all the normal warning systems remain in effect. You will feel all the normal symptoms and you won't ignore them to the point of an accident.

If you feel it coming and it's to the point or even beyond the point where it's distracting or is interfering with your ability to stay focused, simply tell your hypnotist you need a break, using whatever words you are most comfortable using. Your hypnotist will bring you up so that you can take care of the problem. When you return, you will go back under quickly and in all likelihood, even deeper than you were.

Relax, it happens and it's not a big deal.

Question 10

My friend tried hypnosis and it didn't work. It's fake, right?

Accepted Answer

Okay, let's unravel this before we jump to any conclusions. There are lots of reasons your friend might have had a less than ideal experience.

What were the credentials of the hypnotist? Maybe it was some guy who once read a book and was trying an induction for the first time.

Maybe your friend wasn't in the right frame a mind.

Was there alcohol involved?

Most people are unclear about whether they were hypnotized after the first time because it wasn't what they expected.

Did the hypnosis not work or are you saying the suggestions didn't stick afterward? Either way, I am betting the hypnotist was inexperienced.